Halfway through the fantasy regular season, ESPN fantasy analysts are sharing the lessons they have learned and how those takeaways will shape future draft strategy. The lessons start with the 'hero RB' approach, in which a manager takes one running back early and waits to select a second. Michael F. Florio found that his teams built around Omarion Hampton struggled at the position each week, while teams with James Cook III, Jonathan Taylor or Ashton Jeanty performed better. Adam Rank saw his strongest teams pair an early running back with Kenneth Walker III, suggesting that an old-school RB-RB approach paid off.
At quarterback, Daniel Dopp notes that depth at the position is proving its value. Jared Goff, Caleb Williams, Brock Purdy, Bryce Young and Trevor Lawrence are all top-10 fantasy QBs by points per game, so managers did not need to spend an early pick on a elite passer. That trend may continue in today's pass-heavy league.
Coaching changes also carry risk. Matt Bowen was bullish on the Los Angeles Chargers after they hired Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator, pushing Hampton and Justin Herbert up his board. By Week 8, however, the offense had underperformed, with Hampton averaging 9.6 fantasy points per game. Bowen notes that coaching transitions often take time to affect player production.
At tight end, Brock Bowers (19.1) and Trey McBride (18.6) lead the position, while later-round picks such as Isaiah Likely and George Kittle offered strong value.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing